Panasonic announces upcoming firmware update for DMC-GH2

Panasonic has announced a firmware update for its Lumix DMC-GH2 video-orientated interchangeable lens camera that will offer a range of improvements and new features. First and foremost is a high bitrate (24Mbps) movie mode that's designed for video editing purposes. Extended compatibility with the company's latest 'X' series powerzoom lenses is also included, as is the ability to turn all touchscreen features completely off. An update to the PHOTOfunSTUDIO 6.0 software will also be available to handle the GH2's new video mode. Both updates will be available at the beginning of December.

Press Release:

Panasonic Announces the Firmware Update Program for DMC-GH2 and PHOTOfunSTUDIO 6.0 BD Edition

Panasonic announces the new firmware update program for the digital interchangeable lens system cameras DMC-GH2 of LUMIX G Micro System and for the GH2 bundled software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 6.0 BD Edition.

- [LIVE preview] is not consistent during [Aperture Preview] either [MF Zoom].- [Aperture Preview] is aborted if you touch the focus ring.- [MF Zoom] and [MF Guide] does not show when camera fail to focus.- Scale distance figures/"numbers" missing in the [MF Guide].- [MF Zoom] fill the whole screen obstructing us to continue composition/framing the subject.- 100% EVF ON/OFF in all modes. (Already available using [Touch Shutter ON] in cont.SH mode)

It looks like this new movie mode is 1080p @ 30 FPS for NTSC and 25 FPS for PAL in an MP4 container. Codec is still unknown but it does sound like PAL users will finally get what they have been asking for.

I'm most interested to learn what the improvements to bracketed shooting speeds and increased number of recordable images are. Will they squeeze another RAW shot or two out? Faster write speeds to the card?

I wonder if the new movie mode will just be GOP = 1. That would be kind of funny if they just copied what the hacker’s did. Driftwood should definitely sue Panasonic for copy write infringement if that is the case.

This alters the editing software that accompanies the GH2, but does not add any new video mode to the camera. Since the GH2 sensor is 60hz, one might think there be firmware to allow 1080 60p video, but maybe that's being reserved for the GH3.

"Since the GH2 sensor is 60hz, one might think there be firmware to allow 1080 60p video, but maybe that's being reserved for the GH3."

Pana seem to have dropped the ball. Their camera would most probably be able to record 1080 60p, particularly now that AVCHD2.0 is out too. They, however, don't implement this (either), while Sony has been providing 1080 60p in their P&S cameras for a year and also started doing the same in their more serious lineup (NEX 5n/7/A77/A65) late Summer. Pana doesn't seem to be a decent alternative to Sony's offerings, it seems. (Of course I know the GH2 is, otherwise, superior to even the 5n / A77 when it comes to true 1080 resolution - see http://www.eoshd.com/content/4279/how-the-gh2-is-still-top-dog-for-video-quality . Nevertheless, 60p is really useful for, say, benchmarks, video game reviews where the subject (for example, an iPhone / iPad) is able to refresh its screen content at 1/60 sec, unlike, say, WP7 phones.)